Continuing my 'keep it simple' mantra from the previous post, here is a commonly found recipe for Indian style Pickled Shallots. If you were to ever eat a meal in any of the regular north Indian homes, you will be served this pickle for sure, especially in the hot summer months. A bottle sits on the dining table of every home. It is multipurpose, works as a side, as a pickle, as a condiment, or even just to nibble on while your mommy (or daddy, why not?!!) serves up the food. Make some every few days and be assured of some extra kicks at meal times!
Here is what you will need.
1 cup washed, peeled and whole shallots/pearl onions.
1 tsp levelled Nigella seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
A few green chillies, slit (optional)
1 cup of white vinegar
Once you have assembled your ingredients, simply combine them in a lidded jar/bottle. Let sit for a few hours and voila, it's ready to eat! This pickle does not really get spoilt if kept in the fridge but if you are keeping it out, make it in less quantities and keep replenishing with fresh stuff every time you run out.
Serve with any desi meal of choice.
Dont you think it looks pretty!
I am leaving for India in just about two hours, but then my friend Anshie of spriceroots , asked me to participate in an online blogger food event and I could not say no to her. I was wanting to post a recipe before I left for India and this provided an excellent chance. I have so many pictures on my hard drive, but no time to sort them out and do a post. So when she asked me to join in the event, I agreed. The event is called 'Know your flours' with a focus on Chick Peas. Indian cuisine has an extensive use of chickpeas flour, all sorts of vegetable fritters fried dipped in chickpea batter, being one. I had some fresh green chilli peppers lying with me. I decided to do a stuffed version which is popular in my state. Something like a fresh pickle if you will. I made only four of them but you can make as many as you like. Serve them warm with a main of rice-dal or for morning brekkie of paranthas and yoghurt. Finger licking good and really easy to not only assemble but to cook as well.
Ingredients:
4 fresh, green chilli peppers, long ones, washed, dried, slit in the middle and deseeded. Jalapenos will be fine.
1 cup of chickpea flour
1/2 tsp of fennel seeds
1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
1tsp of amchur (mango) powder
1/2 tsp of ajwain seeds (carraway)
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp each of very finely chopped onions and fresh corriander leaves
1 tbsp of raw mustard oil
Combine all of the above in a plate except for the chillies. Now stuff the slit green chillies with this mixture and keep aside. Do a taste test, sometimes a little extra salt, than you would normally use, is required.
For the Tempering:
1 tsp of mustard seeds
2 tbsp of mustard oil
a few pods of fresh garlic
How to:
In a wok heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil untill smoking. Chuck in mustard seeds and let splutter. Throw in garlic pods. Place the stuffed chillies in to this wok, brown on all sides for approx two to four minutes on medium flame. Wait to get brown specks on the chillies. Lower the flame to low, cover the wok with a dinner/flat lid or plate. Now put 1 cup of water over this plate, so that the steaming action will soften and cook the chillies underneath. Chickpeas take 'longish' to cook, so cooking these stuffed a good fiteen to twenty minutes on low flame, covered will do the trick. Thats it! Done! This will stay in the fridge up to a week if you dont use onions, else 2-3 days. Store in an air tight container. You may adjust the tanginess, heat and salt factor according to your taste. If you have extra stuffing left, use it to make stuffed paranthas or simply just sprinkle it all over the chillies before you cover them. They make a moist, tasty crust on top and sides of the chillies.
Linking to Anshie's Know Your Flours: Besan Chickpea Flour blog event. Do hop over to check out other entries and to participate even!
